I don't think so --  since among other things absolutely NOTHING was done to reduce unfunded state mandates, NOTHING was done to reduce the number of school districts, municipalities and special tax districts across the state and nothing was done to substantially reduce state spending by either reducing the size of state government or reigning in excessive spending on overly generous state programs.

The teacher evaluation legislation is being raised up as an example of a success --- yet since the actual content of the evaluations will not be open to the public nor will parents actually be able to request moving their child from an ineffective teacher's classroom,  what does this legislation actually accomplish?

Once again, a governor with national political aspirations and has chosen to go along to get along with the Republican Senate Majority leaders  and the Democratic Assembly Majority leaders (and the legislative leaders and rank & file members have agreed to "play along to get along" so that they can get a pay raise after the election and keep in favor with the party leadership so they don't get thrown off the political "gravy train")-- so that everyone could sit around and hug each on the last day and say "look what a great job we did" --- when in actuality NOTHING was accomplished, the status quo has been maintained and once again the voters have been duped into believing that their incumbent officeholders actually give a damn about them.

I can't disagree with you here.....status quo BOTH PARTIES....they are called BLUE BLOODS OF PRESENT TIME

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

I don't think so --  since among other things absolutely NOTHING was done to reduce unfunded state mandates, NOTHING was done to reduce the number of school districts, municipalities and special tax districts across the state and nothing was done to substantially reduce state spending by either reducing the size of state government or reigning in excessive spending on overly generous state programs.

The teacher evaluation legislation is being raised up as an example of a success --- yet since the actual content of the evaluations will not be open to the public nor will parents actually be able to request moving their child from an ineffective teacher's classroom,  what does this legislation actually accomplish?

Once again, a governor with national political aspirations and has chosen to go along to get along with the Republican Senate Majority leaders  and the Democratic Assembly Majority leaders (and the legislative leaders and rank & file members have agreed to "play along to get along" so that they can get a pay raise after the election and keep in favor with the party leadership so they don't get thrown off the political "gravy train")-- so that everyone could sit around and hug each on the last day and say "look what a great job we did" --- when in actuality NOTHING was accomplished, the status quo has been maintained and once again the voters have been duped into believing that their incumbent officeholders actually give a damn about them.

Merge municipalities?   Just remember, since you are NOT a taxpayer, you need to learn that people move OUT of Schenectady CITY so they don't have to deal with all the crap.   People do NOT want to merge with, for example, Schenectady school system.   But you wouldn't comprehend that, not as a parent nor as a taxpayer.   Any merging should be decided NOT by the gov nor the legislature, it should be done by the people, THE TAXPAYERS, that live there and pay the taxes.

Yep, nothing was done to cut the fat salaries and the super fat pensions, like public school teachers who have such lavish pensions that they don't qualify for the enhanced STAR exemption.

Why should teacher evaluations be open to the general public?   I mean, in addition to my local school taxes, I know that, unlike you, I have a job and thus pay state income tax of which some money goes to school districts around the state.   What good does it do for me to know what a teacher in Buffalo does, or how good a teacher in some hicktown is.  But of course, it would be logical for you to whine that lack of making them available to the general public means nothing is accomplished---you would be the nosy one to look them all up.

How about the state stop giving money to the city of Schenectady for downtown projects and artsy projects, etc.   And audit the city giving out illegal STAR exemptions.  

As a person who pays property taxes and other taxes, I am outraged that our state politicians OF BOTH PARTIES can claim that the recently ended legislative session was a success.

There was NO action taken to reduce unfunded state mandates, no action taken to reduce the size of state government and very little of substance actually accomplished.

Merging/consolidating municipalities, school districts and other taxing districts makes a great deal of sense.  Most of the county and municipal boundaries were created IN THE 19TH CENTURY -- except for moving Mont Pleasant, Bellevue and Woodlawn from Rotterdam to the city and creating the 2 villages in the county -- the municipalities in our county were defined ALMOST 200 YEARS AGO.   So much has changed in 200 years and still we keep the same old municipal lines --- they are obsolete.

Quite frankly, the layers of government -- county, municipal, etc are obsolete -- other states and countries have abolished the county level of government for a system of local/regional government where some items are dealt with on a regional level and other remain on the local level.

We are already in the 2nd decade of the 21st Century and NO ONE is having the discussion about bringing our system of local and county government from the 19th Century into the 21st Century.   Now is the time to start having that discussion -- seriously and intentionally -- with the goal of reforming and modernizing with the next 3-5 years.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

As a person who pays property taxes and other taxes, .....

e -- other states and countries have abolished the county level

You pay property taxes!    What a JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!       Show us your tax return which proves you pay property taxes because property taxes are listed on tax returns.   Room and board is NOT considered paying taxes, it is not tax deductible.   Of course, in order to pay room and board you need to have a job with income which of course you don't have.   And IF you were giving aunties money, that COULD be taxable income to them and count in the event one needed medicaid.  

That just proves you don't pay taxes exempt a few pennies at those all you can eat restaurants


Hey, eliminate the county and we can eliminate the nursing home?    Privatize it?   
Don't you DARE say the state would pay it, because we who have jobs and are self supporting, we pay state income taxes!

Abolishing certain levels of government is NOT abolishing anything. Levels of government just get sucked up into ONE BIG LARGE ONE! Still costs the same....always did and always will.

Same goes for school districts. Example.......Mohonasen/Draper......Mt.Pleasant/Linton!!!

You are still governing the SAME entities/population/services!!! When the government tells ya that they have an idea that will save the taxpayer's money........RUN LIKE HELL!!!

In the end it will cost more money and you will get LESS!!!

Honolulu Hugh Farly did absolutely NOTHING to reduce unfunded state mandates, and he did NOTHING to reduce the alarming number of municipalities, school districts, and tax districts in our state...He and his nayboob ilk did nothing to reduce state spending, the horrible size of state government and he did NOTHING towards reigning in excessive spending ....  Honolulu Hugh MUST be sent to pasture and if possible - indicted along with the REST of the nayboob Republicans in the Senate Majority. Let me be clear -- BOTH PARTIES are to blame to some extent but the REPUBLICANS are more to blame..

As to the nayboob suggestion that we eliminate the valuable Nursing Home -- DROP DEAD. THAT facility will cost absolutely NOTHING.

As a person who pays property tax and other taxes,  I don't believe it is appropriate or helpful to call out one individual member of the state legislature for the problems with that institution.  I am not a fan of Hugh Farley but he is NOT the only one responsible for the state legislature's failure.  there are 61 other State Senators and 150 Assembly members of BOTH parties who bear their share of the blame.  Personally, I suggest that every voter should refuse to vote for their incumbent state legislator and vote for one of his or her opponents --- that would send a real message to Albany.

Quoted from Glryinthhighest

As to the nayboob suggestion that we eliminate the valuable Nursing Home -- DROP DEAD. THAT facility will cost absolutely NOTHING.

And I suppose you can explain how the nursing home will cost absolutely NOTHING ?????

Do builders work for free?  

I guess steel, wood, drywall, tile, etc doesn't cost anything?    

There will be no alarm systems, no security, no phone lines, electric lines, or heat going into the building, huh?   Oh, the utility companies don't charge?   Guess that's why my utility bills are so high?   I'm paying my own and Nat Grid is passing on to me the cost of what they provide to the nursing home?

I guess you are going to say that the food provided to patients is donated by all the farmers, butchers, beverage companies, etc, yes????

I guess all the pharmaceutical manufacturers just give away medicines, yes?

Computers and other office supplies don't cost anything, huh?

And of course, let's not forget the employees, they don't get paid, do they?   Employees of the county nursing home don't have health insurance, do they?   And of course, employees of the county home never get a guaranteed pension for life no matter how ad the economy is, guaranteed raises, and then their child can receive their pension for the rest of their life too, there's no pension plan is there.


Answer??????    

Of of course, you're going to say "the state is going to pay."    Well, that just proves even more, you are not now nor have you ever been a taxpayer.   The state does NOT get money from a money tree.   I PAY through the nose in taxes to the state!   AND I pay to the federal government too!  

Unlike you, while you sponge of your aunties, the so called "nayboobs" are out working to support ourselves and our families, we also have to pay through the nose in taxes to provide lavish overpaid salaries for the employees of the county nursing home.   While we working people scrimp and save and sacrifice in order to pay our health insurance premiums, we are also paying for a cadillac health insurance plan for the employee of the county nursing home, for which they contribute very very little.   While we working people are trying to put away money for our own retirements, we are being forced to pay for lavish retirements to county employees who are guaranteed a pension no matter what the economy is.

for you to claim it won't cost anything is the equivalent of your admission that money grows on trees, and that just proves 1,000% how you have no idea what it's like to be an adult.

This Rotterdam Planning Comm member really needs to grow up

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

As a person who pays property tax and other taxes,  I don't believe it is appropriate or helpful to call out one individual member of the state legislature for the problems with that institution.  I am not a fan of Hugh Farley but he is NOT the only one responsible for the state legislature's failure.  there are 61 other State Senators and 150 Assembly members of BOTH parties who bear their share of the blame.  Personally, I suggest that every voter should refuse to vote for their incumbent state legislator and vote for one of his or her opponents --- that would send a real message to Albany.

Yes, you are a true and reasonable Moderate -- it IS time to vote ALL incumbents OUT of office.  Although Mr. Farley is an aged and long - winded gasbag -- there are ALSO others who are to blame.

Quoted from Glryinthhighest

Yes, you are a true and reasonable Moderate -- it IS time to vote ALL incumbents OUT of office.  Although Mr. Farley is an aged and long - winded gasbag -- there are ALSO others who are to blame.

The Rotterdam town planning comm member is talking to himself again!

But doesn't matter what imaginary friend he posts as, he still merely makes comments, none of which he can explain, provide evidence to support his comments (which is proof of a liar), and refuses to answer questions



.

that nursing home will cost a fortune and it will be fortune put on the backs of the next generation just like it's been happening for 2 generations....but it will seem like 'cheap' once national
health insurance kicks in.....ahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahaha